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Maisie Dobbs returns with her most gripping case yet

About the Author

Jacqueline Winspear was born and grew up in Kent. The Maisie Dobbs mysteries have won acclaim from readers and reviewers alike, and have been nominated for many awards. The first five novels in the series are available now, published by John Murray.

Reviews

In Maisie Dobbs, Jacqueline Winspear has given us a real gift. Maisie Dobbs has not been created - she has been discovered. Such people are always there amongst us, waiting for somebody like Ms. Winspear to come along and reveal them. And what a revelation it is! - Alexander McCall SmithA fine new sleuth for the twenty-first century - Elizabeth GeorgeA vivid portrait of depressed London in 1931 and a good, atmospheric read - Literary ReviewA heroine to cherish - New York TimesA wry and immensely readable beginning to what promises to be a vivid new addition to crime fiction - Praise for MAISIE DOBBS, Daily MailThe British counterpart to Alexander McCall Smith's The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Associated PressFeisty, working-class heroine Maisie is a deliberate throwback to the sleuthettes of old-fashioned crime writing. The well-plotted story, its characters and the picture of London between the wars are decidedly romantic. American readers loved it; many Brits will, too. - GuardianA terrific mystery ... Intriguing and full of suspense, it makes for an absorbing read - Observer

In Maisie Dobbs, Jacqueline Winspear has given us a real gift. Maisie Dobbs has not been created - she has been discovered. Such people are always there amongst us, waiting for somebody like Ms. Winspear to come along and reveal them. And what a revelation it is! - Alexander McCall SmithA fine new sleuth for the twenty-first century - Elizabeth GeorgeA vivid portrait of depressed London in 1931 and a good, atmospheric read - Literary ReviewA heroine to cherish - New York TimesA wry and immensely readable beginning to what promises to be a vivid new addition to crime fiction - Praise for MAISIE DOBBS, Daily MailThe British counterpart to Alexander McCall Smith's The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Associated PressFeisty, working-class heroine Maisie is a deliberate throwback to the sleuthettes of old-fashioned crime writing. The well-plotted story, its characters and the picture of London between the wars are decidedly romantic. American readers loved it; many Brits will, too. - GuardianA terrific mystery ... Intriguing and full of suspense, it makes for an absorbing read - Observer

Bestseller Winspear's sixth Maisie Dobbs novel (after 2008's An Incomplete Revenge) raises the stakes considerably for her psychologically astute sleuth. On Christmas eve 1931, a man Maisie passes on a London street detonates a bomb, killing himself and slightly wounding Maisie. This traumatic event turns out to be linked to threatening letters the British prime minister starts to receive, the first of which mentions Maisie by name. Maisie joins a high-powered investigative team devoted to averting the cataclysmic disaster promised by the unknown author of the messages. By providing the letter writer's perspective, Winspear removes some of the mystery. In addition, Maisie's speculative guesses about the profile of the criminal, while accurate, have less logical grounding than traditional puzzle fans might prefer. Still, Winspear does her usual superb job of portraying London between the world wars. (Feb.) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.